The Guard
by GrimmUlquigrrrl
Summary: Ulquiorra Schiffer- a name revered, a man idolized, and yet an entity feared within the Outer Guard. When he takes on a student, everyone is stunned. But no one is more stunned than Ulquiorra when he actually starts warming up to the boy.
1. Chapter 1

Ulquiorra stood in front of the Captain-Commander of the West City Outer Guard, more affectionately known as simply the Guard, looking his absolute sharpest. As a member of the Outer Guard he patrolled the wild, fanciful forests for the creatures that the city-dwellers had built their walls against, and he only ever had a bed or shower when he was on one of his infrequent summons inside the Walls; this being said, when he arrived in the city a scant few hours before he had been- at least for him- rather dirty. But he had made use of the utilities put before him, and now his pallid skin was scrubbed clean. He had brushed his ebony-black hair until it lay flat, as was intended, around his face, and snatched a precious short nap to eliminate the dark circles from under his emerald-green eyes. He had even bought a new, less worn uniform. A private council with the Captain-Commander was an event.

Yamamoto Genryuusai, an old, wizened man with no hair on his head but a beard that reached his waist, did not lean but sat with a straight back behind his desk. He was a man to be respected, and by all accounts a force to be reckoned with. "Ulquiorra Schiffer," the Captain-Commander began in his gravelly voice, "I would like to begin by commending you for your diligent service to the Outer Guard. You are a highly valued member of our force, and you are well-known for your quick thinking in a crisis." Ulquiorra bowed his head respectfully. "I have called you here today to discuss your potential to take on and train a student."

"You wish me to train someone, sir?" he asked, quickly calculating the changes in his routine he would need to make should that come to pass.

"Yes," the Captain-Commander said. "There is one recent graduate in particular whom I believe would blossom under your tutelage. He reminds me very much of me, and therefore very much of you." This was a hidden compliment of the highest degree; until Ulquiorra graduated from the University designed to begin the training of members of the Guard Yamamoto Genryuusai was the only man to ever master the physical specter of his Talent, and Ulquiorra knew that many were speculating that upon Yamamoto's death- because surely a man with such power would not merely step down- Ulquiorra himself would be sitting in his chair. "I understand that you are more of a lone fighter, and that taking on a trainee would change a great deal about how you work. However, this particular young man is in need of a more direct kind of learning that I believe that you are the only one capable of producing. Do you assent to this new task before you, Ulquiorra Schiffer?"

Taking on a trainee would mean having to teach the green boy how to use his Talent, to speak to other people without opening his mouth, to put up shields, to probe within someone's mind for an answer, and to check the surrounding are for enemies. He would have to teach him the tactics that the University hadn't, along with the common sense that few people had when facing the untamed jungle. As well as overriding his survival instinct to save the people he said he would save. Ulquiorra would have to give up patrolling alone, which meant sacrificing a great deal of privacy. There was always the overwhelming possibility that ulquiorra wouldn't work well with his trainee, and after all he'd never worked well with anyone else, and keeping track of the boy in battle could mean his own death.

"Certainly, sir."


	2. Chapter 2

Ulquiorra stayed in the city for a few days, though he wanted little more than to spend a little time in the jungle alone- for, as far as he knew, the last time for the next two years. Hat was how long most fresh-baked trainees took to be ready to go off on their own, and the simple recognition that his student was like him didn't mean that the boy would be done with his training as quickly.

Ulquiorra could feel the curious eyes of the other trainers on him as he stood in line with them, but he didn't look at them. No one had thought he would ever take on a student, especially not those he had been forced to work with before, and of course none of them knew of the discussion with the Captain-Commander. And surely they were wondering as well which student was so genius that he would be working with the most infamously talented man in the guard.

The trainees filed in, and their eyes all went wide as they saw him standing there. Like the trainers, they wondered who would be trained by him; unlike the trainers, they could all hope it was them. Ulquiorra knew which one he was really going to be training the instant he saw him, though he hadn't been given a picture to go by. He didn't need to search minds to find it, either, the way the other trainers did. It was clear to him.

His student, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, was a few inches taller than the other students, and a few years senior to them as well, Ulquiorra was sure. He did not have the pallor of the people of this planet but the golden skin of its second moon, Pantera. His developed build was also more muscular than lean, and his hair was blue as the light his home planet cast off. He had eyes of the same shade, and by each one a small triangle of green went off towards his temples that gave him the cat-like appearance that was another of the defining characteristics of his land. He stood up straight, wearing the one piece navy blue skintight uniform and boots of every member of the Guard. He looked intent to prove himself to the people who had likely taunted him for his age and appearance.

The Captain-Commander stepped into the room, and Ulquiorra watched as the backs of the trainers and trainees lake went rigidly straight. He simply nodded his head in deferential respect for his superior. "Welcome, youngest members," the Captain-Commander said. "I take this opportunity to admit you into the West City Outer Guard. It is my pleasure and the pleasure of everyone in this room to see you stander here smartly dressed in your new uniforms, ready to undertake this most important phase of your training.

"I wish to make you aware that this is the beginning of your career in our art, an art which is the balance of life and death and can be lethal. Each of you has great potential, and after your past three years in the University of the Guard that potential has been revealed. You have all been chosen as members apart from your classmates, an accomplishment which you should take great pride in, and not take lightly. From now on, the lives of those inside these walls are yours to protect, and to die for. Without further ado, I leave you to be claimed by your trainers and wish for you the best luck the stars have to rain down upon you."

With that the Captain-Commander left and for a moment there was silence. Ulquiorra locked eyes with his new student before twitching his head in a come-hither movement and walking out, not looking back as Grimmjow gaped like a fish and stood rooted to his place on the carpet. It was only as the door was drifting closed behind Ulquiorra that the boy was nudged by Ikkaku, a trainer, and snapped form his stupor. He jogged forward after Ulquiorra, leaving the confused and enraged stares of his classmates behind. "Took you long enough," Ulquiorra commented drily as the boy caught up to him.

"So- so I'm- I'm working with _you?_" Grimmjow asked, clearly dumbfounded. He was wondering how someone so much older than the rest, with horrible grades no doubt, could have gotten paired with the man everyone in the business revered. Ulquiorra knew the feeling.

"Hardly," he said. "You will be trained by me, which is very different from working with me. I doubt you would _want_ to work with me. And grades mean little as to your effort." Grimmjow's jaw dropped.

It took them little time to walk to the mess hall, time in which Ulquiorra was content to allow words to remain unuttered he was not much one for conversation, although his pupil seemed to find the silence awkward. Either he would get used to it or he wouldn't, and either way it was none of Ulquiorra's concern. Grimmjow's eyebrow rose as they walked into the hall to see scores of men and women in navy blue eating at rounded tables throughout the cafeteria, smiling or frowning and making gestures as if they were engaged in conversation although the hall remained completely silent. Ulquiorra was used to this phenomenon and strode purposefully toward a table in the corner that sat next to a wall of windows, which looked out upon the Wall and above it the heads of the flowering trees. The canopy was outlined in gold by the blazing sun.

Ulquiorra sat and Grimmjow hesitantly sat across from him, looking around nervously at the strange displays as Ulquiorra made the waitress aware of them through his Talent. Grimmjow moved in closer, saying in a whisper, "Uh, why-?"

[This is why,]Ulquiorra said, his mouth not moving, the words audible to no one but his student. Grimmjow jumped, staring wide-eyed at him as he processed the mental voice. [Don't speak aloud. Answer me through your Talent.]

[Talent?] Grimmjow's mental voice came with the same ring and pitch as his real voice, his small growl still mentally audible. It felt to Ulquiorra like a house cat purring as it rubbed itself leisurely across his calves. [I have Talent?]

[With the ease that you answered me, I would say it's rather strong,] Ulquiorra commented. [You didn't think about how to do it, you simply knew what to do and did it. That is an encouraging sign.] Encouraging in that Ulquiorra would not have to coddle his Talent like a newborn baby and teach it to breathe on its own, that is. [You do know what Talent is, correct?]

[A mental efficiency that allows you to enter another person's mind,] Grimmjow answered readily. [People with a particularly strong talent can suggest a thing so strongly that it becomes real, but there are only two people known who can do that. You and the Captain-Commander.]

[Correct,] Ulquiorra said, [although nothing suggested through Talent is real, only perceived as so real that it alters the receivers actions. For instance, showing that there is only a bush in a place where in reality you are sitting right there. In this way you can avoid some attacks by reasonable creatures.]

[So is everybody speaking like this?] Grimmjow asked. [Can anybody do it?]

[No,] Ulquiorra replied, [but most can with proper training. No one who is judged to not have the capacity is allowed to stay within the Guard.] Grimmjow gulped.

[Woah,] he said_._[Is it really that important?]

[It is,] Ulquiorra replied. [Most of the members of the Guard works in teams or groups for safety, as you know, and Talent allows them to communicate with each other much faster under attack. Even for those of us who prefer to be more private can use it t call for help from the surrounding are. If someone cannot hear or speak to their peers in a crisis situation, people can be injured or killed. And the person might not necessarily be them.]

[Ouch,] Grimmjow said, wincing as the waitress came up to them with trays of food. There was only one meal available at any given time, thus avoiding the bustle caused by having to order, which was something that Ulquiorra explained t Grimmjow in a quarter of a breath. Their entire conversation had taken up only a few heartbeats, thoughts far faster than words. In reality, Talent was rarely ever an exchange of words but impressions and ideas that were easily understood because you were in the person's mind, unlike verbal conversation where anything could be misinterpreted. Ulquiorra thanked the waitress, a retired woman of the Guard who had been forced to withdraw herself from the front lines after a Brusina Kelta took off her arm, and took his food.

Grimmjow did the same, thanking her aloud. Ulquiorra realized that Grimmjow didn't yet have the ability to facilitate conversation through his Talent and put that on a mental list of things to begin work on. He picked up his fork quietly, spearing a piece of carrot floating on the top of a very thick beef and vegetable stew brewed up to give those about to go Out as much strength and energy as possible. The food cooked at the hall was done so with thought on both practicality and taste, and Ulquiorra enjoyed eating here- and, based on the way Grimmjow was shoveling the hot stew into his mouth, Ulquiorra found it likely that his student found it suitable as well.

[You do know that you can still speak through your Talent when your mouth is full, correct?] Ulquiorra asked.

[I'm busy,] Grimmjow replied. Ulquiorra shook his head.

They ate in silence, Ulquiorra eating far more decorously than Grimmjow and finding the food as delicious as he always did. The packets that members of the Guard were given for when they were Outside were highly nutritious but far from tasty, and any real food he could grab he was always more than happy to. He spent more time Outside than In, though, and it was rare for him to have food that was enjoyable. He guessed that this was likely why he was so grateful for the cafeteria food. The Inner Guard, who protected the people not from the monsters they shared this planet with but rather from their friends and neighbors, and who had the privilege of home-cooked meals every day, often complained about the food served on shift; there wasn't a person in the Outer Guard who did the same.

"Well, well, look at the heathen," a young male voice whispered to someone else, "eating so messily in front of his teacher!" The voice rang out like the striking of metal on metal in the otherwise silent room; Ulquiorra looked up just a little, enough to see a fit young man from this planet, likely aged 14 like most every new University graduate, snickering with his buddy and looking condescendingly at Grimmjow. Grimmjow rankled, still bent over his already nearly-empty tray of food and glaring. A picture flashed through Ulquiorra's mind of the young man with his arm twisted behind his back until it have a satisfying shattering sound, blood running from his nose and staining his blubbering lips red.

[Don't you even think about it,] Ulquiorra ordered, then turned to the young man with a frigidness in his eyes. The boy started. [And you ought to learn the importance of keeping one's thoughts to oneself. Unlike you, this "heathen" I'm to be teaching an already answer me back.] A man with bright red hair pulled into a ridiculous ponytail, dressed in the uniform of the Guard, walked back in on the situation with a cup of pudding in his hand and looked with confusion on the scene. Ah, Abarai Renji; loud, obnoxious, foolish, and just the person to teach this purebreed how to behave. Ulquiorra projected the incident to the other man and saw him growl before turning back to his food and quickly closing the mind-link. He didn't particularly want to hear Abarai's notorious mental tongue-lashing until _after_ his dessert, if it was all the same.

He could feel something bluntly poking at his mind, like it wanted to say something but couldn't get in. [Something for you?] he asked his student, not looking up from his stew.

[You read my mind,] Grimmjow accused, quickly leaping on the now open mind connection. [Back there, about what I wanted to do to Eternitas.]

[Don't be ludicrous,] Ulquiorra answered. [I do not read minds unless it is on imminent importance. I knew what you wanted to do because you projected it so strongly that I couldn't help but see it. Most of the people in this room know what you wanted to do now as well, I'm sure. That is called a spill thought. I will have to teach you to shield me from those. I don't have any particular desire to know what goes on in your head.]

[Gee, thanks,] Grimmjow said. Ulquiorra found his sarcasm, if not amusing, at least a novelty. Very few people in the Guard could remain sarcastic for long.

[I thought you were busy,] Ulquiorra pointed out. He could't help but sigh as Grimmjow returned to his food with gusto, as if making up for lost time.

Table manners should probably come before Talent lessons.


	3. Chapter 3

"Where are we going?" Grimmjow asked as he trailed behind Ulquiorra, who walked with direction and purpose.

[Outside,] Ulquiorra answered, opening the door into his mind so that he and Grimmjow could communicate this way. He wanted to train Grimmjow's mind the way a coach would train his muscles, and only constant and unyielding use would strengthen it.

[Outside?] Grimmjow asked, and Ulquiorra felt like he was socked in the gut by the boy's incredible surprise.

[Remind me to teach you thought guarding soon,] he said.

[Outside?] Grimmjow repeated. [Already? I though that there was some Inside training first-is anyone else coming?]

[I'm tired of being in this city,] Ulquiorra replied, [and no. It may be customary for groups of the Guard to go Out together, but I have never done so and never intend to. For people above a certain caliber, there is more safety in solitude.]

[I don't understand,] Grimmjow said. [Isn't it safer with people to watch your back?]

[That may be what you were taught in the University, but you can forget about that,] Ulquiorra replied. [It only holds true for those who are too weak to take care of themselves. Stronger people only find themselves tied down trying to keep the others safe, and often are the ones that end up injured because they had to spread their minds out too much looking after everyone in battle. I am strong. You are going to be strong. You need to get used to surviving on your own out there.] He could feel Grimmjow's sense of surprised, pleased pride at having been told that he could someday be on par with his teacher. Ulquiorra remembered that feeling.

[Isn't that a Doorway there?] Grimmjow asked suddenly, stopping and looking at one of the many mechanic, heavy doors to the Outside. Ulquiorra's stomach flopped.

[We don't use that one,] he said hurriedly. Perhaps too hurriedly, as Grimmjow's curiosity poked at him, but he ignored it. Grimmjow didn't ask any questions, though, and Ulquiorra began to sense that he might work decently well with his student.

They walked in silence for a while, Ulquiorra leading the way to the next Doorway. It wasn't until they were in sight of the herd of Inner Guard, who had taken to guarding the Doorways a few years back-which Ulquiorra would admit had made the hackles he'd always had up within the Walls go down a bit- that Ulquiorra felt Grimmjow trying to contact him again.

[What is it?] he asked, not unkindly. Grimmjow hesitated.

[Earlier, I- they said they didn't give our trainers our grades,] he said.

[They didn't,] Ulquiorra said. [Have you ever been Outside before?]

[Not on this planet,] Grimmjow answered, [but if they didn't tell you then how-?]

[Grab the badge you were given,] Ulquiorra commanded, breaking off the end of Grimmjow's question like snapping a twig. [You can't go Out without it.] Grimmjow grabbed it off the belt that hugged his hips as Ulquiorra did the same, flashing it at the Inner Guard for them to verify.

[Well, okay, but how did you-]

[Step back,] Ulquiorra said as the mechanical whirring of the doors opening began to sound. The interlocking metal monstrosity opened with more efficiency than one may expect, and the smell of the lush greenery of the forest flooded and lifted Ulquiorra's soul. To his eye the vibrant colors were a cooling balm, a precious relief from the monotonous grey of the city; the feeling of the air, encrusted with the energy of _life,_ a tonic for the aches inflicted on his core. He heard Grimmjow gasp behind him.

[It _is_ stunning, isn't it?] he asked as he was given the nod to walk through. The mossy ground allowed his foot to sink into it, as if welcoming him back after his long absence and making it known that it would not release him again. He felt his shoulders settle into a more natural position.

[Well, it's that, but...was that a spill thought?] Grimmjow asked. Ulquiorra started. So Grimmjow had felt his feeling of intense contentment? Likewise, Ulquiorra could feel the fluttering in his stomach, perhaps even fear of a stupid question, and knew it had to be Grimmjow's.

[Yes, it was,] he replied, keeping his voice level so as to dispel any of that fear. Any question that was wondered needed to be asked, lest a lack of life-saving knowledge occur. [My apologies, I rarely ever generate spill thoughts. Now, your earlier question?]

[Oh! Yeah!] Grimmjow said, attention leaping back to the conversation he had tried to have. [About you knowing my grades!]

[Grimmjow,] Ulquiorra started, [you saw others with very bad grades being weeded out, didn't you? There are two reasons to do this: the first is that the people who aren't capable are never put in the field, and the second is that the other students with low grades realize what will happen to them if they don't step it up, and work harder. Once people start to be sent home, it becomes clear whether a person's grades suffer because they aren't trying or if they simply aren't very good at it. Those who try as hard as they can and still get bad grades in everything are given pats on the back and prospects of other, smaller jobs, such as working in the mess hall or in the Inner Guard. However, the people who try as hard as they can and have bad grades in nearly everything but excel beyond everyone else in physical defense are sent through even if others with average grades are not.]

Ulquiorra used a thick tree root, about six feet tall, as a lookout place, balancing easily. Grimmjow stayed on the ground, and for the moment Ulquiorra would let him. He could teach the boy the importance of surveillance later. [There is a simple reason for this,] he continued, sweeping his line of vision slowly across the thick trunks of trees, [and this is that time has proven these students to be the most capable. Students who put their all into their work, even if they continually fail, are more valuable than those who do not need to work to succeed; these people have a much greater adjustment to make when they enter the forest.

[On top of this, those who have full understanding and knowledge of all the facts must sort through these facts to find the wisest course of action in an attack. This requires time, time which you do not have in a battle and could get you or your comrades killed,] Ulquiorra said, sliding down the root and landing easily on the ground, allowing his knees to take most of the impact. [You never memorized those useless facts, because your books didn't offer real experience. What you will remember are the things you learn by doing, and you will never hesitate in moments of action. That is what your high grades in physical defense prove. People who act instinctively simply do better in this business.]

Grimmjow unwound a creeping vine from his ankle and jogged to catch up with his trainer. Ulquiorra looked sideways at him, glancing at his boot to be sure the thorns hadnt perforated. [Be more careful, Grimmjow,] he said, [that plant is called a Throned Venomous Creeper. If it had nicked out, your leg would have swollen and become stiff past use. It wouldn't have killed you, but it's painful.]

[I'll remember that,] Grimmjow said, and Ulquiorra could feel that fact being stored in the memory section of his student's mind. [But- how did you know that _I_was one of those people, if noone told you? I mean, isn't it really strange that someone like me would get paired with you?]

[As I said,] Ulquiorra replied, [people like you are the strongest kind. I would not have been asked to train anyone else. And in any case, I have been told that you are very much like me.]

Grimmjow's surprise was palpable. [So- you mean, you were-...]

[My grades were horrendous in the University,] Ulquiorra said. [Looking at words on a page drove nothing home to me. I have been where you are, and you need to be aware that in ten years you are likely to be where I am. Do not let that swell your head- but know that you have ability and potential. Do not doubt that, or leave it untapped.]

[Yes, sir,] Grimmjow replied, and his voice was hushed. Until that very moment, he had believed that he was doomed to fail despite all of his work, and Ulquiorra was uncertain whether the flicker of feeling he felt was Grimmjow's or the memory of his own. Ulquiorra allowed silence for a time, knowing that Grimmjow was likely to suffer mind-ache when he woke up tomorrow as it was. Although that certainly didn't mean he would go any easier on the boy tomorrow, he was familiar enough with the pain to pity him. The first mind-ache is always the worst.

It was hours later, when their shadows were long, that Ulquiorra told Grimmjow that now was his chance to practice setting up camp. Ulquiorra would fix any obvious mistakes for him. Ulquiorra didn't mind doing it himself, it was simply a part of his routine, but as he watched Grimmjow clumsily go through the motions he found it was kind of nice to get a reprieve. Maybe there were some perks to having a student around.


	4. Chapter 4

Ulquiorra woke up when Grimmjow's mind poked gingerly at his own, and was immediately alert. He cast out a net with his Talent, but he couldn't feel any existences besides his own and Grimmjow's anywhere near. He sat up and looked at the shadow of the boy that was cast against the blue fabric of his tent. [What is it?] he asked, placing his hand on the T-gun he kept by his sleeping pad at all times.

[Uh, it's-it's time for you to take watch,] Grimmjow replied hesitantly. Ulquiorra blinked. He realized that after camp was set and checked over he had merely looked at the sky and bidden Grimmjow goodnight before retiring, not leaving the green young man any indication of how the night was to be passed. That explained the uncertainty he had sensed in the other before closing the mind-link to sleep. Of course Grimmjow had assumed he was to take the first watch.

[My apologies,] Ulquiorra said, [I've been working alone so long I forgot to tell you. I know the University taught you that members of the Guard alternate watch shifts and night, but you and I do not. I put up a "wall" with my Talent that will keep all unsavory life forms away, so we can sleep without worry. I should have let you know.]

[You keep it up while you _sleep?_] Grimmjow asked.

[I have grown used to it,] Ulquiorra said, dismissing the surprise in Grimmjow's tone. He pushed away a slight feeling of guilt for his negligence; it meant that Grimmjow would be running low on sleep tomorrow, and that was a dangerous thing Outside. [Please try to sleep well for what's left of the night.]

[Gotcha,] Grimmjow agreed, the shadow next to Ulquiorra's tent standing and moving off. Ulquiorra felt a push at his mind like Grimmjow was trying to close the connection and marveled at the other's natural ability before closing it himself and laying back down. He waited until he felt Grimmjow fall asleep before following suit, just to be sure.

~!~

They broke down camp efficiently the next morning, and Ulquiorra showed Grimmjow which vitamins to use to keep going. As they were only allotted so much food per trip, Ulquiorra had gotten in the habit of skipping breakfast in order to stay Out longer; he could hunt, but he wasn't horribly proficient and in any case he hadn't brought such equipment with him. He pressed the small bump on the floor of his tent and crawled out as the tent beeped out a countdown. When it had beeped five times, it lit up with a blue light and was drawn into the circular microchip, hence the reason why Ulquiorra had crawled out. Occasionally a young Guard member was instantaneously crushed inside, killed in seconds. Ulquiorra had carefully watched Grimmjow to be sure he did not meet that fate, but Grimmjow acted as if he had done this many times before and escaped unscathed. Ulquiorra picked put the centimeter diameter chip and pressed it into its spot on his belt. It clicked in, and he stood.

[Pick a direction,] Ulquiorra said.

[What?] Grimmjow asked, blinking his slightly hazy eyes at him. He was certainly tired, and would be slow, but appeared awake enough for their purposes.

[Decide where we're going,] Ulquiorra said. [Climb onto that root to get a vantage point, find a landmark, and go towards it.]

[Is it really okay to let me do that?] Grimmjow asked nervously.

[Naturally,] Ulquiorra said. [I know this jungle well. Pick a place, and I will show you how to get there safely.]

[Okay,] Grimmjow said, and Ulquiorra felt responsibility settle on his shoulders. Another of Grimmjow's spill thoughts, and the matter of teaching him to prevent those moved up on Ulquiorra's list of to-dos. Grimmjow's spill thoughts had been innocent so far, but eventually he would think something that he didn't want Ulquiorra to know and if he couldn't keep that thought from leaking it could be mortifying for both of them. They needed to be able to work in tandem, and an ill-placed idea could crush that and put both their lives in jeopardy.

Ulquiorra found another matter to work on as he watched Grimmjow grapple for holds, trying to get to the top of the massive rock Ulquiorra had pointed out. His climbing was stilted and awkward, not to mention horribly slow. Through the mind-link Ulquiorra could feel that Grimmjow was determined to make it to the top, but he certainly wasn't making much headway. Ulquiorra didn't point out anything to him that could speed the process, wanting to see Grimmjow's natural ability, but it was tempting. What would have taken Ulquiorra less than a minute to scale took his student fifteen. By the time Grimmjow made it up, Ulquiorra had taken a sit and was brewing some tea; if Grimmjow's hissing was anything to go off of, tea would be required, along with a few bandages. He looked like he was scraping his hands rather nicely, a truly difficult feat as the bark was smooth and soft.

Grimmjow finally heaved himself over the top, slowly standing up. Ulquiorra would admit, he was impressed that Grimmjow had not asked for help. Ulquiorra watched him look around, closing his own eyes to see through the Panteran's; it was a landscape he expected, but the novelty it held to Grimmjow was welcome.t he sun was creating a pink flare behind a bundle of tall dark grey hoodoos to the South where it rose, known as the Giant's Hump, and to the West of that the city could still be seen. Northeast lay the great, knotted tree whose root Grimmjow stood on, despite it being to weeks' worth of walking away, and dead North a swamp-like grove created the lowest vegetation to the ground-East appeared, from here, to be featureless, but Ulquiorra knew far better.

Grimmjow set his eye Northeast, and Ulquiorra opened his own eyes to find the water boiling. He took it off the fire and poured a decent amount onto the wood to take care of the flames. It wasn't often that a fire went out of control, but if there was a time of year for it this was it. The jungle had been dry for three months, and though the summer storms were brewing humidity in the air the vines and leaves layering on the soft black soil would catch easily if left unattended. The storms would begin soon enough, but until they did every member of the Guard would be carefully monitoring their campfires.

Ulquiorra had drained a quarter of his metal cup with small sips by the time Grimmjow made it to the ground-and then nearly choked as Grimmjow slipped and fell fifteen feet. There was a loud grunt as Grimmjow hit the ground on his back, and Ulquiorra tightened his hold on his cup. [Are you alright?] he asked quickly, using his Talent to feel Grimmjow's pain and assess the wounds.

[I'm fine,] Grimmjow replied, getting up. [The ground is springy.]

[You don't appear to have any injuries,] Ulquiorra said, [other than being winded. You need to be more careful. Falling like that could break bones and put you out of commission until you're healed.]

[Gotcha,] Grimmjow said, standing up and locking his knees as he swayed a little. [Is that tea?]

[Yes,] Ulquiorra said. [It can be made from the Colocora Loqueatis plant roots, and can wake you up as well as ease pain and inflammation. You can soak injuries in it to heighten the effects.] Ulquiorra projected the image of small yellow flowers, a grey-green stem and ridged leaves in groups of three that led into a white-purple root. They were only five or so inches tall, but they grew in large patches. [They're better known as tea flowers, but don't mix them up with their cousins.] He sent Grimmjow nearly the exact same plant, but the leaves on this one grew individually and the root was more blue tinted.

[Okay,] Grimmjow said, sitting down next to his teacher and taking the cup handed to him.

[Drink that, then pour yourself some more to soak your fingers in,] Ulquiorra said. [Which direction did you decide on?]

[To that big tree,] Grimmjow said, guzzling his tea down. What didn't make it into his mouth dripped down his chin and wet his uniform, and Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at the primitive display but said nothing. Grimmjow needed to drink it, and Ulquiorra really hadn't expected much else after the show in the mess hall the day before.

[That's Northeast,] Ulquiorra said. [It will take a few weeks to get there, but it's a relatively easy journey. Good choice.]

Grimmjow poured more tea for himself, throwing it back. [Thanks. This is good tea.]

[It's always good to know the plants and animals around you and what you can or can't get from them. I'll teach you as we go.]

[Cool deal,] Grimmjow said. [Do you have anything for a headache?]

[Is it a headache like you've experienced before, or is it deeper and more tiring?] Ulquiorra asked, immediately wondering if Grimmjow had hit his head in the fall.

[Deeper,] Grimmjow said. [My vision's kind of blurry.]

[I noticed that when you were up there surveilling,] Ulquiorra said, relaxing. [That's not a headache, Grimmjow, that's a mind-ache. It comes from using your Talent. You'll be exhausted tonight, and tomorrow you'll be stiff. By the end of the day it may be difficult to see and walk straight, and your reflexes and coordination will be off. When you start to experience this let me know and we'll set camp for the night, so neither of us get injured. The tea will help.]

[Oh, great,] Grimmjow said cynically. [Am I gonna get one of these every time I do something with my Talent?]

[No,] Ulquiorra assured. [Your mind is like a muscle-you'll get mind-aches when you use it for the first time in a while, or in a new way you haven't used it before, or when you over-work it. Just drink more tea, and keep using it. Once you break it in, the pain will go away.]

[Hallelujah,] Grimmjow said.

[Soak your fingers,] Ulquiorra said.

[Yessir.]


	5. Chapter 5

Ulquiorra carefully kept up their Talent work, talking to Grimmjow every chance he got, and it was almost a week before Grimmjow's mind-ache faded. It was a week consisting of early camping and gallons of tea, but Grimmjow had the decency not to complain despite his blurry vision and pounding head. That was a feat, Ulquiorra knew, and he was glad for it. If Grimmjow were a whiner Ulquiorra would not have been able to handle him.

Ulquiorra gave it a few more days of simple communication before he decided it was time to move on; so far Grimmjow had yet to discover the trick to opening a mind-link, and that was something of the utmost importance. Actually, it was Grimmjow who brought it up. [So, what do I learn now?] he said, gingerly stepping over a patch of mud the way Ulquiorra had taught him to. Mud in the dry season was always to be avoided, as it was likely home to a small creature that expelled water from its skin and had teeth like a piranha. Even the thick boots of the Guard would be no protection from an Aguilar Guppy, and many unsuspecting people had lost whole legs to the voracious creatures. [I mean, I've definitely gotta learn more about my Talent, right?]

[Correct,] Ulquiorra said, [but I was going to give you another day or two to recover before continuing your training.]

[I think I'm ready,] Grimmjow said eagerly. [I can deal with the mind-ache.]

[I have no doubt,] Ulquiorra said, keeping back the fact that he was actually more worried about himself. Ulquiorra had been alone so long that the constant use of his Talent was actually beginning to hurt; it was the simplest thing to communicate, but he did it so rarely that it had become difficult. It was still on him to put up the barrier every night as well, so he wasn't getting the sleep he needed to recover. Nonetheless, Grimmjow was right; the sooner they had this out of the way the sooner Ulquiorra could stop this humdrum training and move on to other aspects of being in the Guard. Grimmjow still did not know one life form from the next, what was edible, what was medicinal, or even how to defend himself, and they needed to move on to that posthaste. [Very well,] he said, [we will begin a new lesson today. How do you think of the mind?]

[What?] Grimmjow asked.

[The mind, Grimmjow, how do you picture it?] Grimmjow asked.

[Hm…] Grimmjow mused, [I think it's, like, a maze inside your head.]

[Good,] Ulquiorra said. [Picture that maze in your mind's eye.] He came to a stop, and looked through Grimmjow at the maze. It wasn't what Ulquiorra pictured, but that was fine. [Now put a bubble around your maze. Good, but make it translucent. There, now you have a picture of your mind. Everyone's mind looks something like this, mine included. That bubble is how we shield our minds from others, and being able to allow others in or enter someone else's bubble is what Talent is. In order to get through that bubble you must make an 'arm,' if you will, of your own bubble, which is something you are already doing. What you need to work on is 'sharpening' that arm, making it like a needle to puncture my bubble and open a mind-link. I'm going to close off now, so try it.]

True to his word, Ulquiorra closed the mind-link and turned his mind away from Grimmjow's. He wasn't blocking himself off, but he wanted Grimmjow to practice what it would really be like and so acted as if he were oblivious of Grimmjow's poking at him. They continued their walk, Ulquiorra carefully looking around himself as he knew Grimmjow was too focused on his task to help him keep an eye out for danger. Now, right before the rainy season, was among the most dangerous times; the other life forms of this planet were running out of water, plant included, and the herbivores had nothing to eat and were dying. Because of this carnivores had nothing to eat either, and by now were desperate enough to attack even beings they knew were dangerous-such as members of the Guard. The monsoons would start, and that brought a whole new set of dangers. They needed to be constantly on alert.

Ulquiorra cringed a little as Grimmjow's pressing became harder. Grimmjow's arm was yet too blunt, and Ulquiorra's bubble was denting inwards to accommodate the pressure. Unlike Grimmjow, Ulquiorra thought of the mind as a spongey ball within its protective bubble, and at that moment his bubble was so far indented that it was pressing into that ball. Still Grimmjow pressed harder.

[Grimmjow, stop!] Ulquiorra commanded, and immediately Grimmjow retracted. [You can't do that. Placing more pressure on my bubble will not help you, and it quickly becomes painful. Whittle on your arm like a stick until it is pointed, then it will be much easier.]

[Sorry,] Grimmjow said.

[Try again,] Ulquiorra replied.

It was a decent amount of time before Grimmjow attempted it again, presumably having spent that time sharpening his arm, and Ulquiorra could immediately feel that it was much better. Where before it had felt like a gelatinous blob, this time it was at least more solid. It still was not pointed enough to permeate Ulquiorra's bubble, but it was on the correct road. [There, Grimmjow,] Ulquiorra said, [don't press any harder than that. If you're not through by this point, you're not doing it right. Try again.]

It commenced that way throughout the day, Ulquiorra continually closing off his mind and Grimmjow growing better each time, but by the time the mind-ache set in Grimmjow had still not succeeded in his endeavor. They set camp that night, each feeling just a little disappointed. Of course, there was no reason to. After all, there was only so far one person could advance in any amount of time and it was best not to push Talent too far too fast, but a small part of Ulquiorra had hoped for a little more.

The next day they stayed mostly silent, Ulquiorra keeping his mind turned away in case Grimmjow chose to practice but not demanding it. He chose to see what Grimmjow would do if he wasn't prompted, and besides, his head hurt form yesterday. Grimmjow had considerable force behind his Talent, but a long way to go to truly hone it and his attempts had rendered them both sore in the head. Ulquiorra appreciated the reprieve from the mental work, enjoying the silence he was beginning to miss. By the end of Grimmjow's training Ulquiorra would be quite ready to get back to his sacred solitude-not that Grimmjow was in any way annoying, or at least not yet, but Ulquiorra was far too used to being on his own. He wasn't certain he could become accustomed to permanently having another person to look out for.

Admittedly, Grimmjow had respected Ulquiorra's privacy much more than Ulquiorra anticipated at first; however, Grimmjow was highly energetic with everything he did and it was tiring keeping up with him. Perhaps as he grew older he would settle some, but-Ulquiorra jumped for the skies as something as sharp as a fresh pencil stabbed roughly through his bubble, visibly stiffening. [Ha _ha!_] Grimmjow crowed, and Ulquiorra felt his immense pride and triumph. Ulquiorra settled.

[Well done, Grimmjow,] he congratulated, recognizing the accomplishment at once. He would admit it was a nice surprise after yesterday's frustration, especially on the first try. Had he spent all day readying himself? [Next time, you don't need to be so forceful. Gentle will work just as well. Let's work on it.] Grimmjow groaned.

~!~

Ulquiorra was woken by a tapping on the wall he'd put up, and immediately his hadn went to his T-gun. There were very few creatures that could sense when Talent was being used, and his mind went through each one meticulously. Only two or three could be expected to be seen in this area and at this time of year and day, and all of them were bad possibilities. Ulquiorra leapt out of bed, immediately loading his T-gun with his Talent and ducking out of his tent. There, behind him, a Massive Merula stood investigating the barrier. It towered over Ulquiorra, with the head of a mantis and the body of a cockroach, and though it wasn't as bad as some of the other options Ulquiorra still braced himself. Merulas of any kind were incredibly dangerous, with powerful front arms and bone-crushing mandibles that had taken many men to their graves, and the Massive Merula was second most dangerous of them due to its size.

Ulquiorra sunk into a grounded pose, raising his T-gun and preparing himself. He took a deep breath into his stomach, his world honing down to this one single action. He felt a tingling in his fingertips as his Talent charged his gun, becoming a burning hot ball of energy that sang down Ulquiorra's arm. The jungle seemed to disappear, and all Ulquiorra saw was the target. It was a calm feeling of duty that settled onto him in these moments; perhaps the creature meant him no harm, but it was too close to allow it to live. The barrier fell and the gun went off, and the animal fell. Ulquiorra held his stance for a few moments more to assure the creature's death, then straightened and allowed himself to become aware of the jungle around him again.

He placed the barrier upright again, careful to leave no gaps. Where there was a Merula there were likely more, and it was best to be doubly safe with these creatures. Ulquiorra allowed himself a moment to stretch out his shoulders. Ah, he hated it when his sleep was interrupted, but it was better to be interrupted than to be attacked in his sleep. With a Massive Merula, he would be quite unlikely to survive. It wasn't until he turned back to his tent and saw another sitting at the foot of the tree that he realized Grimmjow was still there but had not made a peep all through the small battle, and immediately urgency filled him. Certainly Grimmjow would have sensed a Merula, even without training in the area? A quick sweep proved that nothing else had permeated their protections, so it was unrealistic to think that Grimmjow would be injured somehow, but Ulquiorra felt a small amount of panic.

[Grimmjow?] he said quickly, interrupting a dream.

[Huh? What?] Grimmjow asked blearily, and Ulquiorra calmed. Grimmjow was fine, no thanks to Ulquiorra.

[You slept through an attack,] Ulquiorra informed, and suddenly Grimmjow was quite awake.

[Wait, what?] Grimmjow asked. [What attacked us?]

[Come see,] Ulquiorra said, and Grimmjow's whole tent rocked as Grimmjow clumsily clambered out and jogged over to his teacher. [There, that is a Massive Merula. It is one of the only creatures that are intelligent enough to sense Talent, and you need to be very careful of them. The Jumping Merulas are more dangerous though-they're only a foot or so high, but they have powerful back legs and can jump up to twenty-three feet in the air. They're highly camouflaged, and it's easy to miss them if you're not paying enough attention.]

[Woah,] Grimmjow said, hushed. [That thing is huge!]

[Yes, if it charges it could crush you,] Ulquiorra said.

[Did you take that down on your own?] Grimmjow asked. [Wait, that was stupid. Of course you did. How, though?]

[With a T-gun,] Ulquiorra said. [I will teach you to use one soon enough. Now back to bed-but you'll have to learn not to sleep so deeply. When you're off on your own, that will kill you.]

[Yes, sir,] Grimmjow said, taking a last uneasy glance at the dead body. Good; it was best for him to sleep with that unease. Ulquiorra watched him retire, then began to move the carcass away from their camp.

Over the next week Grimmjow continued his quick learning, pleasing both of them, but Ulquiorra began to tire of their constant games. There was never an instant where Ulquiorra could loosen his awareness over his student for fear that Grimmjow would make some rookie mistake that would end his career-or his life. Ulquiorra was constantly pointing out simple things, things he'd known for years, and even though he never had to repeat himself it was exhausting. He was grateful, at least, that Grimmjow was sharp, because he wouldn't have been able to handle it if he said all this and Grimmjow didn't learn.

The first that Ulquiorra realized when he woke up was that it smelled good, like food cooking, and immediately shot up. Had he been in his gray apartment Inside the Walls the filtering light and sweet smells would have eased him from sleep, but Out here it was momentarily alarming. Was Grimmjow cooking, and if so what was in the pan? They couldn't afford a useless waste of their food stores; but when Ulquiorra ducked out of the tent he found Grimmjow frying fish. A bell of alarm went off inside his head. [Grimmjow, did you go down to the river?] Ulquiorra asked quickly. Ulquiorra had woken up briefly in the night because he heard Grimmjow shifting around, but he hadn't felt Grimmjow pass through the barrier and that was immediately worrying.

[You told me not to,] Grimmjow said. [I sat by the barrier and threw a line into the water from there.] Ulquiorra glances over at the river running few yards away from their camp-it was always good to camp by water, but it was extremely dangerous if the barrier wasn't perfectly formed.

[So you didn't go anywhere near the shore,] Ulquiorra pressed.

[No, sir,] Grimmjow said. [I stayed right here.]

[How did you throw the line far enough?]

[It took a few tries, but it was like this game my brothers and I used to play. Once I weighted it correctly it was easy as pie.]

[What did you use for bait?]

[A piece of jerky from our stores for the first fish, but then I used any small or inedible fish I caught.]

[What kind of fish are you cooking?]

[Alerons. You said they were edible.]

[Show me,] Ulquiorra demanded, and Grimmjow sent him the image of a blue-green fish with a lump on its forehead. [What else did you catch? Were you careful with your fingers?] There were fish in these rivers that could bite through bone without a second thought, as well as those that would drag a struggling man in and drown him or swallow him whole.

[Yes,] Grimmjow answered, [and if I knew it was really dangerous I cut the line once I saw it. I didn't even bring it in.]

[What did you use for a hook?]

[Those black-tipped brambles-I didn't actually touch them!] Grimmjow said quickly, seeing the look on Ulquiorra's face. [I wore my gloves and broke the stems without touching the brambles themselves.]

[Good,] Ulquiorra said, [they're very poisonous to humans. Let me see your hands.] Grimmjow held them out and Ulquiorra vigorously looked them over for the slightest scratches. The brambles shouldn't have been able to get through the thick leather of Grimmjow's gloves, but Ulquiorra was not about to take any chances; Grimmjow's lightly calloused hands were free of any blemishes. That would change long before Grimmjow was on his own. Ulquiorra's hands were not only ghostly pale by their side but scarred and gnarled as an old tree root, and soon Grimmjow's would be the same. [Alright,] Ulquiorra said at last, after having turned Grimmjow's hands over several times. He sat down by the fire and checked the fish where Grimmjow had them speared by the side of the fire.

[I must admit, I'm quite impressed at your ingenuity,] Ulquiorra praised.

[I'm street smart,] Grimmjow shrugged, turning a fish around. [And I thought it would be nice to have some real food for once.]

[Well, you did very well,] Ulquiorra said. [Just be careful that you don't choke on the bones, they're thin and easily missed.]

[Yes, mother.]

[Someday you'll have a student,] Ulquiorra said, [and they'll say the very same thing to you. When did you get all this done?] The sky was still grey with the dawn, and Ulquiorra knew by his body clock that he hadn't overslept.

[I woke up early,] Grimmjow said.

[Any particular reason?] Ulquiorra asked.

[I thought I heard something but couldn't go back to sleep, that's all. Here, the fish is done, have some.] Grimmjow unobtrusively closed the mind-link to enjoy his food, a skill he had become adept at, and handed his teacher one well-cooked fillet.

They ate in relative silence, then continued their journey as they would any other day, but Ulquiorra continually looked at the skies. For the first time in months he could see a heavy grayness in some of the small clouds above and knew that the rainy season was about to commence. The rains could start any moment, and Grimmjow desperately needed to learn to climb before they did. Ulquiorra knew just how to teach him.

~!~

[Ouch,] Grimmjow grunted as he fell on his rear-again. Ulquiorra had found a good, tall root for him to climb early in the afternoon where the ground was well-padded by fallen leaves and vines and he couldn't hurt himself. [I can hardly see the handholds with the sun setting,] Grimmjow complained. [Can't I stop for the day?]

[Not if you want dinner,] Ulquiorra replied from inside his tent. [You have to make it to the top two more times, that was our agreement.]

[I didn't agree to anything,] Grimmjow grumbled, but started again from the bottom. Ulquiorra stayed awake to be certain that Grimmjow had finished his task fairly, then fell asleep before Grimmjow even started eating his dinner; he slept like he always slept, lightly but well, until he was jolted awake again.

It was raining.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath, scrambling up in a way that was very unlike his normal business-like manner. [Grimmjow, get up!] Ulquiorra said, [hurry and pack your things. Now!]

[Wha-why?" Grimmjow asked, though he started packing his things in his bag immediately. He crawled out of his tent as it collapsed into itself, haphazardly grabbing up the few items that they had outside as Grimmjow stumbled out into the torrent. Already the once-cold ground was turning into a muddy pond that Ulquiorra's feet sunk into as he pulled on his boots much too quickly, getting the sludge inside them. When the rains came, they came fast and hard. Grimmjow was having a very difficult time, Ulquiorra could see. Living on a desert planet had left him completely vulnerable to even the slightest rain, and this was nothing short of a monsoon. The Panteran slid and fell and slid again, covering himself in mud, and with his free hand Ulquiorra helped pull him up. [Climb,] Ulquiorra commanded, pushing Grimmjow toward the tree root he'd been climbing all day-by now the bark was slick with rainwater and handholds were difficult to find even for Ulquiorra's trained eye.

Grimmjow tried, he really did, but he floundered and slipped down, down, thought thankfully he had the good sense to stay off the ground despite how easy it would be to let go and start over. Every time he made a little progress he slid down again, and Ulquiorra clambered back down and grabbed him. There was no time. It was even more difficult to make it up the root with only one hand, but they slung themselves onto the top of the root just in time.

Grimmjow panted, looking at the ground in awe as the jungle truly came alive. Animals big and small came burrowing out of the ground, crawling out of tree trunks, jumping from branches, swimming from their ponds as the earth turned into a shallow pool. The rain came too quickly for the ground to soak it all up. There was a cacophony of noises that could be heard above the roaring of the rain, songs and screeches, and the palate of the eye couldn't decide what to focus on first. What was most fascinating? The shimmering hordes of silver tadpoles? The blue, flamingo-like flightless birds that snatched up every guppy they saw? The brightly arrayed flies the size of dogs? The wonders never ended, never slowed as the habitants of the forest showed themselves for the first time to Grimmjow's eyes. Ulquiorra felt the younger's awe leak out, coloring the air around them, and enjoyed its novelty.

"Wow," Grimmjow breathed, staring at the incredible view. As long as he had been in the jungle it had seemed sparsely inhabited, but now the sheer life of their surroundings were proving themselves. It was overwhelming, even after one had seen it several times. Ulquiorra watched the display beneath him with fondness, but at the same time seeing things that brought a sense of newness to the scene-it was never the same twice, like a river whose water was ever flowing. Ulquiorra allowed himself to watch the performance, even as he constructed a new barrier around them.

"It is spectacular," Ulquiorra replied.

Ulquiorra let Grimmjow watch, captivated, until the bluenette was shuddering and dripping with frigid rainwater, then forced him to take shelter under a thicker part of the canopy. It was still quickly streaming onto their heads, but Ulquiorra had learned that it was better to take what little they could get. Grimmjow hugged his knees to himself as his teeth chattered, asking, [Can't we set up the tents?]

[No,] Ulquiorra said, [they would slip off the root. Use your Talent.]

[My Talent?] Grimmjow asked. [That doesn't make sense. I can't put up a barrier, and even if I could it only works on living things. It's not an umbrella.]

[That's not what I'm suggesting,] Ulquiorra said. [Use it to make yourself feel warm. Trick yourself into thinking it's not raining.] Grimmjow looked at him incredulously. [Try it.] Ulquiorra turned away after that, but knew the instant that Grimmjow achieved his goal-contentment spilled from him. Ulquiorra sighed. It really was time to work on spill thoughts.


End file.
